…….such a beautiful story…..That was cool.... and hit home for me.
Side story..... Indulge me for a bit....
In the late 1970's, my parents were looking for a car for me as I was going to be driving soon and we needed an extra car (mainly for me, but also as a spare set of wheels). My dad heard from a friend that a neighbor of theirs was selling their 1968 Mustang GT convertible. Turned out the car was in decent shape and for $2,000 it was ours (yeah, those days are LONG past). So - we get the car and it becomes mostly mine but also - my Mom takes a fancy to it.
I drive that car all in high school and my early days in college - in town as I went to the local city college ( see pic enclosed of me driving in the local Homecoming parade) But, I was going to be going to a 4 year university a ways away and that meant leaving the car out (fairly unattended) in the weather for long stretches of time and ... well, a late 60's Detroit convertible is not (even back then) the best car for having sit out in the sun and able to be broken into and all that jazz... So, it is agreed that I would leave the Mustang at home and get a 'more practical' car. That is where the 2002 came in. Yeah - I know... But remember that back then the 2002 I got was nothing more than a ~10 year old 'used car' (albeit nice) with the BMW brand still working their way up to where they would find themselves later. Yes, they were premium - but not (at that time) like Mercedes or such.
Regardless - the Mustang, staying at home, became the chariot for both my Mom and our dog (chocolate Lab). She was seen daily driving around with the top down and the dog in the back with the ears flapping in the breeze. She'd take that car everywhere.... Grocery shopping, out to do her hair, down Big Sur for a look at the scenery - all over the place. Everyone in town would associate that car with her. LOL - It was really something to see...
After school - I move up north to Seattle with the 2002 and a mid 80's Chevy S-10 PU as my daily driver ( Yeah - I know... but in all fairness, the S-10 really was a decent small truck and did everthing I asked of it.... and had 4WD - helped out in the Seattle snows....) The Mustang was promised to me (eventually) - but Mom was driving it and the car was going along doing ok. But - it was starting show its age.... and increasingly so. One day - during one of her jaunts down Big Sur, the car stalled and stranded her. She had to get it towed home. That is the last time she drove it (mid 1990s). She didn't trust it any longer. The car then was put in storage till (as she said it) - I could take it up north and give it a good 'going over'. LOL, By that time, it needed more than that, and more than I could give it... But - oh well - I would have to sit on it till I had the space (and $$) to mess with it. The car spends the next several years being shuffled from family driveways to storage places and so on down near my parents home.
Calendar moves along about 10+ years and ... I get a place that has a garage for the car and... 2 or 3 months after I move in, the Mustang is in my garage (my brother had it in his driveway and was READY to get that $%^)) car to me - LOL). The car is transferred to my name shortly after that time. Mom calls me one night to talk about the 'rag top' as she called it. She wants to get it restored. She wants to pay for it. And she wants to go driving in it again... with me.
Now, she is not driving any longer - the dogs are LONG gone but she still loves that car.
So - I find a place up north here (near Seattle) for doing the car and... They do an AWESOME job. Yes, it cost us a pretty penny - but was totally worth it. The restoration lasts 18 months.
All during the restoration - my Mom is planning a 'Car Party' for showing it off as well as have a small family reunion - LOTS of folks will be coming. So - I get the car all set and trailer the car down to CA and... the car is AWESOME... (see pics). She plans this party for probably well over a year. Was awesome to see everyone. I must have given 10 rides in the car to the young kids there and out of town folks. Was a great day.
The day after the party, I take Mom back down Big Sur in the Mustang... this time with the top up as the wind is a bit stronger than she remembers it being - LOL.....
She loves it. She notices the radio now has FM as well as AM - she smiles. She likes the sound of the engine. She didn't remember the car being so rattly - I say that is is in better shape now then before - LOL. Still, she really likes the shape the car is in and is very happy to see it again.
Well, I return to Seattle a few days later and am unpacking after driving up when we receive a call that Mom callopsed at home and has been taken to the hospital..
We quickly put everything away and return to CA. Everyone knew she was not doing well during the 'car party' - but we had no idea how bad it had become.
When we received the call, it was late in the day. It was almost the same to leave Seattle at 9pm driving (that day) as it was to fly the next day. As such, we drove... and arrived at the hospital at 11am. Yeah - I flew down I5 - but didn't care. Mom passed away just in time for us to see her.
It was almost as if she was hanging on to see everyone at her party (the 'car' party) - but it was really a way to say goodbye. We just didn't know it til a short time later.
FYI - the trip down Big Sur in the Mustang is the last time Mom left her house (other than in an ambulance). Feels good (even many years later) to see the Mustang sitting in my garage knowing Mom is happy I still have it going strong....
So - the video here struck a nerve with me - and put a HUGE smile on my face...
I love it - Thanks for sharing it....
Thank you for sharing ,that is a lovely story !That was cool.... and hit home for me.
Side story..... Indulge me for a bit....
In the late 1970's, my parents were looking for a car for me as I was going to be driving soon and we needed an extra car (mainly for me, but also as a spare set of wheels). My dad heard from a friend that a neighbor of theirs was selling their 1968 Mustang GT convertible. Turned out the car was in decent shape and for $2,000 it was ours (yeah, those days are LONG past). So - we get the car and it becomes mostly mine but also - my Mom takes a fancy to it.
I drive that car all in high school and my early days in college - in town as I went to the local city college ( see pic enclosed of me driving in the local Homecoming parade) But, I was going to be going to a 4 year university a ways away and that meant leaving the car out (fairly unattended) in the weather for long stretches of time and ... well, a late 60's Detroit convertible is not (even back then) the best car for having sit out in the sun and able to be broken into and all that jazz... So, it is agreed that I would leave the Mustang at home and get a 'more practical' car. That is where the 2002 came in. Yeah - I know... But remember that back then the 2002 I got was nothing more than a ~10 year old 'used car' (albeit nice) with the BMW brand still working their way up to where they would find themselves later. Yes, they were premium - but not (at that time) like Mercedes or such.
Regardless - the Mustang, staying at home, became the chariot for both my Mom and our dog (chocolate Lab). She was seen daily driving around with the top down and the dog in the back with the ears flapping in the breeze. She'd take that car everywhere.... Grocery shopping, out to do her hair, down Big Sur for a look at the scenery - all over the place. Everyone in town would associate that car with her. LOL - It was really something to see...
After school - I move up north to Seattle with the 2002 and a mid 80's Chevy S-10 PU as my daily driver ( Yeah - I know... but in all fairness, the S-10 really was a decent small truck and did everthing I asked of it.... and had 4WD - helped out in the Seattle snows....) The Mustang was promised to me (eventually) - but Mom was driving it and the car was going along doing ok. But - it was starting show its age.... and increasingly so. One day - during one of her jaunts down Big Sur, the car stalled and stranded her. She had to get it towed home. That is the last time she drove it (mid 1990s). She didn't trust it any longer. The car then was put in storage till (as she said it) - I could take it up north and give it a good 'going over'. LOL, By that time, it needed more than that, and more than I could give it... But - oh well - I would have to sit on it till I had the space (and $$) to mess with it. The car spends the next several years being shuffled from family driveways to storage places and so on down near my parents home.
Calendar moves along about 10+ years and ... I get a place that has a garage for the car and... 2 or 3 months after I move in, the Mustang is in my garage (my brother had it in his driveway and was READY to get that $%^)) car to me - LOL). The car is transferred to my name shortly after that time. Mom calls me one night to talk about the 'rag top' as she called it. She wants to get it restored. She wants to pay for it. And she wants to go driving in it again... with me.
Now, she is not driving any longer - the dogs are LONG gone but she still loves that car.
So - I find a place up north here (near Seattle) for doing the car and... They do an AWESOME job. Yes, it cost us a pretty penny - but was totally worth it. The restoration lasts 18 months.
All during the restoration - my Mom is planning a 'Car Party' for showing it off as well as have a small family reunion - LOTS of folks will be coming. So - I get the car all set and trailer the car down to CA and... the car is AWESOME... (see pics). She plans this party for probably well over a year. Was awesome to see everyone. I must have given 10 rides in the car to the young kids there and out of town folks. Was a great day.
The day after the party, I take Mom back down Big Sur in the Mustang... this time with the top up as the wind is a bit stronger than she remembers it being - LOL.....
She loves it. She notices the radio now has FM as well as AM - she smiles. She likes the sound of the engine. She didn't remember the car being so rattly - I say that is is in better shape now then before - LOL. Still, she really likes the shape the car is in and is very happy to see it again.
Well, I return to Seattle a few days later and am unpacking after driving up when we receive a call that Mom collapsed at home and has been taken to the hospital..
We quickly put everything away and return to CA. Everyone knew she was not doing well during the 'car party' - but we had no idea how bad it had become.
When we received the call, it was late in the day. It was almost the same to leave Seattle at 9pm driving (that day) as it was to fly the next day. As such, we drove... and arrived at the hospital at 11am. Yeah - I flew down I5 - but didn't care. Mom passed away just in time for us to see her.
It was almost as if she was hanging on to see everyone at her party (the 'car' party) - but it was really a way to say goodbye. We just didn't know it til a short time later.
FYI - the trip down Big Sur in the Mustang is the last time Mom left her house (other than in an ambulance). Feels good (even many years later) to see the Mustang sitting in my garage knowing Mom is happy I still have it going strong....
So - the video here struck a nerve with me - and put a HUGE smile on my face...
I love it - Thanks for sharing it....